Such a droplet separator arrangement is for instance known from DE 195 21 178 02 [U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,930]. According to the known droplet separator arrangement several droplet separator layers are arranged one behind the other in gas flow direction wherein the profiles of the rows arranged one behind the other of the front and rear droplet separator layers are arranged oppositely with respect to one another in gas flow direction. On account of these features the known droplet separator arrangement has an especially good cleaning performance since correspondingly good cleaning effects are generated by the oppositely inclined droplet separator profiles of the adjacent layers by the rinsing liquid flowing away along the profiles.
Furthermore, it is known to use such droplet separator layers (lamella separators) arranged in V-form or in the form of a reversed V in combination with prearranged agglomerators or preseparators forming a flat layer. So, from DE 203 02 380 Ul a combined droplet separator is known consisting of a droplet separator layer in the form a reversed V and consisting of individual lamella profiles and a prearranged flat preseparator layer consisting of tubes or barrels arranged one besides the other in a spaced condition and rotatably supported. The preseparator layer consists of two individual layers spaced from one another in gas flow direction.
Today, more and more higher performance standards are set with respect to such droplet separator arrangements. In other words, such droplet separator arrangements are to be applied with more and more higher flow velocities and are to have a very high separation performance in connection therewith. However, these standards are not always fulfilled by the known droplet separator arrangements consisting of one or more droplet separator layers.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a droplet separator arrangement of the indicated kind which secures a high efficiency and an especially good removal of the liquid (an especially good cleaning behavior).
According to the invention this object is achieved with a droplet separator arrangement of the indicated kind by the features that it includes furthermore at least one flow rectifying layer arranged in front of the droplet separator layer in gas flow direction and consisting of at least one row of tube-like or rod-like rectifying elements arranged one besides the other in a spaced condition, and that the row of the rectifying elements is arranged in the form of V or of a reversed V with opposite inclination with respect to the corresponding row of droplet separator profiles of the droplet separator layer.
Accordingly, the droplet separator arrangement of the invention has a prearranged flow rectifying layer causing a rectification of the gas flow applied to the droplet separator layer in addition to the at least one droplet separator layer in which preferably lamella separators are used. On account of the arrangement of this rectifying layer especially high gas flow velocities can be used which are substantially beyond 5 m/sec. Accordingly, all together the gas flow rate through the droplet separator layer can be increased.
The rectifying layer provided according to the invention consists of at least one row of tube-like or rod-like rectifying elements arranged one besides the other in a spaced condition. The size of these rectifying elements and/or the distance between them is dimensioned such that the same take over (substantially) only a rectifying function and no agglomerator function and/or preseparating function. The special dimensioning of such rectifying elements as well as of the distances between them is known to the expert in the art or can be ascertained by suitable tests.
An essential inventive feature consists in the fact that the row of the rectifying elements in the form of a V or of a reversed V is arranged with opposite inclination with regard to the corresponding row of the droplet separator profiles of the droplet separator layer. The inventors of the present arrangement have ascertained that problems result with a flat arrangement of the rectifying elements in front of a droplet separator layer in V-form or in the form of a reversed V which problems have the result that the rectifying layer can fulfil its function as flow rectifier only insufficiently. The ground for these problems is primarily the fact that the interspaces between the individual rectifying elements are clogged relatively fast with contaminations since they can be cleaned by the provided rinsing systems only insufficiently and that in this manner the water separated by the following droplet separator layer and/or the liquid used for rinsing can no more flow away in a correct manner. Accordingly, the water stemmed on the rectifying layer results in a further deterioration of the flow rectifying effects of the rectifying layer.
In order to overcome these disadvantages the inventors proposed to also design the row of the rectifying elements in the form of a V or of a reversed V (similar to the row of the droplet separator profiles), however, with opposite inclination with respect to the corresponding row of the droplet separator profiles. In this manner an especially good rinsing or cleaning effect of the rectifying elements is obtained since the water flowing along the droplet separator profiles (lamellas) of the droplet separator layer inwardly (to the lowest point of the V) or flowing outwardly on both sides arrives in the middle at the apex of the row of the rectifying elements arranged in the form of a reversed V or arrives outside at the highest points of the legs of the row of rectifying elements arranged in V-form and flows along theses elements to the respective lowest point of the row outwardly or inwardly whereby the rectifying elements are cleaned and a clogging of the intermediate spaces is largely prevented.
Since the flow rectifying elements are tube-like or rod-like elements having no distinct dropping edges it is secured that the water discharged by the droplet separator layer flows nearly over the total length of the V-legs of a row of rectifying elements and thus prevents the contamination of the same nearly over the whole length of the rectifying elements.
Accordingly, the inventive solution results in an increasing efficiency of the droplet separator arrangement by prearrangement of at least one flow rectifying layer and simultaneously provides for a permanent cleaning of the rectifying elements so that the flow rectifying layer gets a long useful life or periodical shutdown times of the arrangement for cleaning can be reduced.
Especially, one succeeds in leading the rinsing water in such a manner that an especially good cleaning effect results by the inventive design of the flow rectifying layer.
According to a further embodiment of the invention the droplet separator layer and the flow rectifying layer are supported at a beam by means of a common support construction. Preferably, the common support construction is a side wall at which the ends of the rectifying elements are fixed or supported and at which the droplet separator profiles (lamellas) are fixed or supported, too. The rectifying elements and the droplet separator profiles can be also combined by means of common side walls to obtain packets wherein these side walls are then fixed or displaceably supported at the common side wall of the support construction. Furthermore, the common side wall of the support construction has a support extending with a right angle herefrom for the support of the arrangement at a fixedly mounted beam. Moreover, a nozzle construction is fixed at the common side wall. Preferably, a connecting rod extends from one beam to the adjacent beam through a corresponding recess in the common side wall and is fixed at the same, too.
The fastening or support of the tube-like or rod-like flow rectifying elements at the common side wall of the support construction can be realized by means of suitable known fastening means, for instance welding, screwing, clamping etc. If the rectifying elements are supported in a movable or limited movable manner at the common side wall corresponding means are provided in order to enable a rotary movement or limited rotary movement.
As regards the design of the flow rectifying elements, the same are preferably formed in a tube-like manner wherein also a corresponding rod-like embodiment (with solid cross-section) is possible. The outer shape of the rectifying elements is not critical per se, however, should favor the achieved cleaning effect by the water flowing down wherein preferably the whole circumference of the rectifying elements should be flown around (avoiding drop edges). Preferably, the rectifying elements are shaped in a circular or oval manner in cross-section. Rectangular or square cross-sectional shapes are possible, too. According to a special embodiment of the invention the rectifying elements are formed in a shell-like manner, especially semicircularly, in cross-section so that they can capture the water flowing down from the droplet separator layer and can discharge the same. However, this embodiment has the disadvantage that here the outside of the flow rectifying elements is not provided with a strong rinsing effect or cleaning effect since the water is captured by the shell and is discharged.
According to still another embodiment according to which the flow rectifying elements are preferably formed as closed tubes the rectifying elements have inlet and outlet openings for the cleaning liquid discharged by the droplet separator layer. According to this embodiment at least part of the cleaning liquid can flow into the interior of the rectifying elements and can be discharged there. This embodiment as well as the embodiment with shell-like cross-section are used especially in a case according to which large amounts of liquid are present which are not completely required for cleaning the rectifying elements.
Another embodiment of the invention provides that the flow rectifying elements are rotatably supported. According to this embodiment the rectifying elements are applied with torques by the gas stream which generate a rotation process of the rectifying elements. These rotation processes can assist in removing contaminations of the rectifying elements (incrustations). According to a special embodiment the rectifying elements are supported in an oscillatory manner so that they can rotate only through a certain angle. Such an oscillating process results in a removal of contaminations, too.
According to the invention the flow rectifying layer can be formed by one layer or several layers of rectifying elements in gas flow direction. If several layers are present the rectifying elements of adjacent layers are preferably arranged offset with respect to one another.
As regards the inclination of the rectifying elements arranged in V-form or in the form of a reversed V (roof-like), the same are preferably inclined with an angle of 10-30°, especially 15°, with respect to a horizontal line. This angle range has shown optimum results with respect to the flow rectifying function and the cleaning function.
According to a special embodiment the droplet separator profiles arranged in V-form and in the form of a reversed V are centrally fastened at a common end wall.
Fundamentally, several droplet separator profiles (lamella profiles) and flow rectifying elements (tube profiles) can be combined by means of common end walls or side walls to obtain packets. These packets can be supported or fastened at the mentioned common support construction or at the above-mentioned common end wall. The support can be realized in such a manner that the end walls or side walls of the packets are displaceably supported in corresponding pockets or receptacles of the support construction or central end wall so that the packets can be exchanged in a relative simple manner without having to dismount the support construction, for example.